Born at 6 Norton Street, Higher Broughton, Manchester.
Went out to Australia in 1939 to take up farming. He joined the
Australian Air Force and after 12 months training moved to the UK in
October 1942.
Flying with 27 O.T.U. they took off at 15.35 hours from RAF Church
Broughton in a Wellington bomber Mk 3 - No. BK405 on a training mission.
The intention was to practice carrying out circuits and landing, combined
with single engine flying. At around 15.50 hours, the pupil pilot went
through the drills in readiness to shut down the port engine, but
tragically, he feathered the starboard propellor. Immediately the bomber
spun and crashed at Boylestone, 7 miles south of Ashbourne, Derbyshire.
The entire crew were killed.
The other crew members were:- Flying Officer R.H. Tye - RNZAF, an
experienced Wellington Captain and veteran of an operational tour with 75
Sqn; Sgt. W.R. Wearne - RAAF, Sgt. I.R. Macdonald - RAAF; Sgt. John
Kerr - RAF.
The aircraft was relatively new, having been held in storage at 23 MU
Aldergrove from the 19th October 1942 until its acceptance by 27 OTU in
mid-December. Its total flying time came to only 25.40 hours.
Photo in local newspaper.
ECCLES JOHN STOPPARD : Service Number - 414664 : Date of birth - 14 Mar
1922 : Place of birth - SALFORD ENGLAND : Place of enlistment - BRISBANE :
Next of Kin - ECCLES JOHN